Grease gun coupling



C. G. BUTLER GREASE GUN coUPLING Filed- July 21. 1927 nizza@ w PatentedOct.v 6,1931 p UNITED] STATES PATENT ol'fFIcl-z CLYDE G. BUTLER, OICINCINNATI, OHIO, ASSIGNOR, BY IESNE ASSIGNMENTS, T0

ALEMITE CORPORATION, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A

conronerron or DELAwAnE GREASE GUN COUPLING Application mea July' 21,

This invention relates to a lubricator, and has particular applicationto lubricating systems adapted to force supplies of oil or grease intovarious bearings of automobiles, or other machines, and in which anozzle connection is made with a nipple for distributing the grease tothe bearings.

An object of the invention is to provide a lubricating system whereinthe delivery end of the lubricant compressor can be convenien-tly andquickly engaged with and disengaged from the lubricant receiving nipple,for positively delivering lubricant thereto without leakage.

Another object is to provide a connection of the character abovementioned in which the. compressor can be disconnected from the nipplewithout the necessity of relieving. the

` pressureu of the lubricant in the compressor,

toV prevent loss of lubricant.

Another object of the invention is to provide for the opening of thecompressor valve by the nipple simultaneously with the operativeconnection of the two elements, whereby as soon as the delivery end orcoupler member of the grease gun is engaged with the lubricant receivingnipple thevalve is opened and the device is ready for action.

Another object of the invention is to provide for positive locking ofthe parts in opcrative position by simple lateral movement of the greasegun to disalign tne longitudinal axes of the gun and nipple, whichdisalignment is obtained .after the entry of the nipple to lockingposition within the delivery passage of the coupling member of the gun,and

after the delivery and receiving passages are properly connected.

Another object is to provide for the positive deiivery engagement of thedischarge passage of the nozzle with the passage of the receivingnipple, this object beine' accomplished herein by providing a nipplecentering guide ring in the delivery passage of the nozzle engageable bythe nipple whenever the same is inserted in the passage and during andafter the rvalve opening and locking operations, and further providinglugs at the delivery end of the nozzle engageable with an enlargementofthe nipple to prevent rotation Yof this nature which is leak 1927.Serna fm. 207,532.

ery engagement. (if

Another object of the invention is the 'provision'of a coupler memberwhich may be conveniently and quickly removed from the barrel of thegrease gun to permit lling of the gun and moreover te providef acoupling proo Other objects and certain advanta es of the invention willbe pointed out in t e de- -of the parts when coupled or lockediii-delivscription of the drawings forming part of this specification,in which drawings:

Figure l is an elevation of the grease gun with the improved couplernozzle attached tion for attaching the coupler to the barrel of thegrease gun.

Figure 7 is a section on line 7 7, of Fig'` ure 6, further illustratingthe coupling arrangement. y

The grease gun 1 may be of any conventional form, as herein shown thebody or cylinder comprising two tubular sections connected together inleak-proof manner by a suitableV unlon 2, one of the sections beingrovided with a nipple 3 having two sets o interior threads, one setengaged with an extension of the barrel and the yother threads havingengaged therewith a screw pistonrod, rotatable by a handle and having atits opposite ends the usual piston'head, not herein shown.

The grease delivery nozzle. to whichV the invention is particularlydirected is shown as applied directly upon the end of the gun, it beingrecognized however that the nozzle may be connected to thev end of aflexible or other extension connected with the gun.

The nozzle comprises a. tubular body 5 havingan enlarged head end 6,suitably bored and interiorly threaded as at 7 for removably attachin enozzle to the end of a gun or the The nozzle is counter red providingseveral dierent diameter bore portions 8, 9, 10, successively decreasingtoward the delivery or discharge end. Two shoulders, 11 and 12 are thusprovided, one adp,- cent the outer end and one substantialllyl1 mrdwaybetween the ends of the bore. T e discharge end of the nozzle isprovided with a air of spaced lugs 15 at opposite sides o f the ileliveopening and Vforming o posin ly paralle plane faces 16, the lugs preerably ing formed by diametrically grooving the end face of the nozzle.Such Spanner or socket end formation of the nozzle adapts the nozzle tobe non-rotatively engaged or locked to a nipple with which the nozzleremovably connects.

Fitting within the bore 8 at the receivin end of the nipple is asubstantiallyr cup shape tubular casing element or thimb e having anopening 21 in its end wall at the receivin end, its opposite open endbeing eng-aged against a gasket 24 which in turn 1s en against a washer25 seated against the s oulder 11. The thimble is inserted and connectedinto the bore of the nozzle under a drive t thus rmanently retaining itin position .and against the packing and washer.

A reciprocating sleeve valve is engaged through the paclrieig4 or gasket24 and was er 25, andis provid with an annular headed end 32 within thethimble 20. The sleeve valve 30 is bored to provide a passage 31, whichpassage communicates through lateral openings 32 with the interior ofthe thimble when fthe valve is movfgd to its position or grease e or luricant isc arge throu the nozzle. The annular head 32 engagea le withthe gasket 24 is faced on its inner side to form a check valve surfacefor limiting outward movement of the valve and sealing against leakagewhen the valve is closed. A coil s ring 35, housed and confined withinthe t le 30, is enga d against the opposite end of the head of t esleeve valve for forcing the valve to its closed position. The outer endof the cylindrical or sleeve valve 30 is capped with a centrallyapertured cup sha d packing 36 which supports and guides e valve withinthe bore rtion 9 of the nozzle and forms a seat for t e nipple 40 whenthe latter is projected into the nozzle. A metallic guide and centeringring 37 is loosel disposed within the bore portion of the nozz e betweenthe end of the sleeve valve and inturned annular flange 10. The ring 37is adapted to be engaged by a conical nipple as the mme enters Athenozzle, to engage and force the valve to an open position. When thevalve is open Iassage is thus provided throu h the thim le 20, andpassages 32, 31, into t e nipple.

The nipple herein is of tubular formation the nozz e from the axis o gedpiston of t e ment with and moving the sleeve valve as the nozzle isapplied over the mpple. e nipple at the annular flange inner end oroviding a shoulder 42 which engages wit e internal flange 11 of thenozzle for locking the nozzle to the ni ple, and a polygonal ace hub 43with whic the spanner end of the nozzle engages for non, rotativelyconnecting the nozzle and nip le. The parts are positively lockedtogether w en the nozzle is 'fully applied upon the nipple and canted toeffect an engagement between the flange 12 of the nozzle and shoulder 42of the ni ple, slightly disaligning the axis of the nipple, as

shown in Figure 4. I

In this position the faces 16 of the lu 15 are snugly engaged with thecorrespon ing parallel faces of the hub 43, whereby the gun is held andanchored against rotation and need only be manually sustained in itscanted or angle position with respect to the nipple for securelconnecting the parts when the is fed forward in forcing the lubricant mthe suitabl exteriorly threaded for attachment with t e bearing and alsohasa closure or check valve normally pressed to seated position by asuitable spring. As the nozzle is forced to engagement with the head 40of the nipple, the ring-37 is also engaged by the head-of the nipple andtranslated forwardly therewith, acti `to center the head with relationto the en of the sleeve valve and to maintain pro r en ement of theouter end of the h with t e gasket 36 and the openin therein. When theaxes of the engi-:ged e ements are again ali ed the sho ders will bedisengaged, the ead will again pass freely outwardly through the bore10, and the valve will travel to seated position throwing the centeringring 37 to its ori 'nal position.-

he hub 43 may be of any polygonal configuration which will provide twoparallel plane faces engageable by the corresponding parallel faces ofthe lugs, for non-rotatively removabl locking the nozzle to the ni ple..A Simp e construction is thus provided: the relative diameters of theoutermost bore l0 and that of the head 40 immediately adjacent theshoulder 42 being such as to conveniently permit the insertion 'of thehead through the borel() while at the same time permitting as small anamount of playas is 'consistent with easy introduction.

The locking connection between the nozzle and nipple aside from itsquick and convenient coupling and uncoupling feature, makes a ve secureconnection in a lon itudinal lineo thenozzlesothatit'cannotbe is laced ban excessive pressure applied for orcing tde through the nozzle and intothe nipp e to .the bearing. The tilting or canthaving a conical headportion 40 for engageof the nozzle to elect a locking engagegun. Thenipple is ftheheadhasan' ment on account ofthe s anner connection' withthe nipple can only made in directions in line with the opposing facesof the Spanner lugs on the end of the nozzle so that it cannot bereleased by any lateral or rota. tive strains in screwing up the pistonof the un. v

The slide or sleeve valve provides a passage in direct connection withthe nipple w through which the grease is forced and has engagement underpressure'with the end of the nipple and this increases with the increasein pressure of the forced lubricant acting against the head of thevalve, -functioning as a piston in addition to the force of the spring35.' The interposition of va packing between the valve and end of thenipple and under the pressure of which the parts are held togetherprevents any grease from leaking or oozing .out between the joints ofsaid parts, so that the grease if moving through the nozzle must passinto theinipple.

It has been experienced extremely diiicult v to 'provide a quicklyapplicable nozzle and nipple connection vwhich wouldv provide anabsolutely sealed joint while forcing grease under a heavy pressure asis sometimes necessary when the bearing to be lubricated is in acondition that is known as being ffrozen.

The sleeve valve slides to open position through a packing and thegrease enters the bore or passage of the valve at the inlet end throughlateral openings. When the openings in the valve `are in closed positioni. e. on the outer side of the packing, a check valve seal is formed bythe head of the valve against the packing, andthe valve thus provides ane'ective nozzle closure against escape or leakage of grease from thenozzle when it is closed. Therefore it is not necessary to relieve thegrease in the gun of any forcing pressure when the nozzle is removedfrom the nipple.

Figs. 6 and 7 illustrate a modified form of construction whereby thenozzle 5 is secured to the barrel of the grease gun by a pin and slotlocking means. The enlarged end 6 of the nozzle is provided with asmooth bore adapted to receive the end of thebarrel 1 of the gun. rlhenozzle 5 is provided with bayonet slots 55 adapted to engage theprotruding ends 57 of a pin 56 transversely mounted in the barrel 1. Aleathersealing cup 21a may be provided in the bore of the enlarged end 6of the nozzle to form a seal to prevent the escape of any lubricant`between the nozzle 5 and the barrel 1. The annular edge 21 of thethimble 20a is preferably. flanged to retain thesealing cup 21a withinthe coupler.

Having described my invention, I claim:`

1. The combination with a .lubricant receiving nipplea compressor`having a nozzle adapted to be engaged over the nipple, andinterlockingly connected therewith only while the nozzle is canted froma longitu d1121a1'l1v1aligned position ofthe arts.

e combination with a ubricant re- I ceivin nipple, a nozzle forconnection with a lubricant delivery compressor adapted to be engagedover the nipple and cause interlocklng of the parts against longitudinaldisplacement When the nozzle is canted from a longitudinal alignedposition of the parts,

and said nozzle having a Spanner end for nonrotative engagement withsaid nipple.

The combination with a lubricant recelvmglnipple, a compressor having anozzle adapted to be engaged over the nipple, and provided with anannular internal flange at the end thereof for interlockingly connectingwith an annular groove in the nipple only While the nozzle is cantedfrom a longitudinally aligned position of the arts.

4c. In a lubricating system, a uid delivery nozzle element providing ashoulder, and a nipple having a shoulder adapted to be lockingly engagedwith said first mentioned shoulder only when said nipple element iswithin said nozzle element, and as and when said elements are axiallydisaligned.

5. In a device of the class described, al

lubricant delivery nozzle having an internal circumferentially Vdisposedshoulder, and a lubricant receiving nipple having an externalcircumferential shoulder adapted to be lockingly engaged with saidinternal shoulder when the nipple is inserted within the nozzle onlywhen one of the elements is tilted.

6. ln a lubricating system, a lubricant delivery nozzle having aninternal circumferential shoulder and a lubricant receiving nipplehaving an external circumferential shoulder adapted to causeinterlocking of the parts when the nipple is inserted within the nozzleand one of the elements tilted to axially disalign the same, and meansfor preventing relative rotation of the elements when connected.

7. In a lubricating system, a lubricant delivery nozzle having aninternal circumferential shoulder, a nipple having an externalcircumferential shoulder adapted to be lockingly engaged with saidinternal shoulder only when the nipple is inserted within the nozzle andone of the elements tilted to axially disalign the same, and means forcentering and guiding the nipple during insertion.

8. In a lubricating system, a lubricant delivery nozzle providi'ng aninternal shoulder in its delivery passage, and a lubricant receivingnipple having an'external shoulder adapted to be lockingly engaged withsaid internal shoulder only when the nipple is inserted in the nozzlepassage and one of the elements tilted. l

9. In a lubricating system, a lubricant delivery nozzle providinganinternal shoulder in its delivery passage and .having spaced lugsatopposite sides of its delivery opening,

Htl

' a lubritant receivng nipple having a vportion adapted to enter thedelivery passage of the nozzle, and having a circumferential shoulderadapted to engag the shoulder of said de- 6 livery passage w en said niple is inserted therein, to maintain the nipp e and nozzle in engagementonly when the nozzle is tilted.

A 10. In a device of the class described, a

' lubricant delivery nozzle havi a shoulder in its delivery passageandhaving/a yieldable inwardl opening valve. for closing said assage, and alubricant receivin nipple avin a head adapted to open said valvewheninserted in said passage and having a shoulder adapted forlockinengagement with said first shoulder as an when the deliveryrpa of thenozzle and the nipple are axlally saligned, when said nipple is withinsaid passage, and when said valve is plll. In a device of the classdescribed, a tubular coupler member having spaced parallel lugs atopposite sides of its delivery openin said member having an internalcxrcum erential shoulder adjacent its delivery end and further having ayieldable valve in its delivery passage ada ted to normally preventliquid egress there om, a lubricant receiving nipple having a headportion en age and open the valve, and having an yen argement adapted toengage between said lugs toprevent lateral play between the parts andfurther provide a shoulder at the rear of the head engageable with thecorresponding internal shoulder of the coupler to securely lock theelements lin operative position when the axes of the same aredisaligned.

l2. In a device of the class described, a tubular coupler memberdiametrically grooved at its delivery end to provide s aced parallellugs at opposite sides of its de ivery opening providing lane o posinglyrelated lug faces, said coup er mem r having an internal circumferentialshoulder adjacent its delivery end and further having a yieldable valveadapted to normally prevent liquid egress from the delivery passage, anipple having a head portion adapted to enter the coupler deliverypassage and to engage and open the valve therein, and further providinga shoulder at the rear of the head engageable with the correspondinginternal shoulder of the coupler to securely hold the elements inoperative position when the axes of the elements are disaligned aftershoulder engagement. g

13. In adevice of tubular l coupler member grooved at its delivery endto provide spaced parallel lugs at opposite sides-of its delivery 'theVclass described, a

adapted to enter the coupler passage and to tation between the elementswhen in engaged `tion. 14. In a device of the class described, a tubularcoupler member havin spaced par-v alle] lugs at opposite sides`v o itsdelivery opening, said coupler memberv having an internalclrcumferential shoulder in its delive p :Q: adjacent the delivery endthereo and rtherI havingV a yieldable valve adaptedl to normally preventliquid egress from said assage, a movable cente ring within sai passageagainst which sai valve is adapted to rest, a tubular lubricantreceiving mpple adapted to enter the bore of the coupler member to openthe valve and furf ther adapted to engage and be guided by saidcentering rin during the opening of and when said va ve is opened, saidnipple havmg a circumferential shoulder engageable with thecorresponding shoulder of the coupler for locking the elements inlocking position as and when the axes of the elements are disalignedafter engagement, said nipple having a circumferential enlargementprovidin parallel faces with which the lugs of sai coupler member areengaged to prevent lateral movement and rotation between the elementswhen in locked position.

In witness whereof, I hereunto subscribel my name.

CLYDE G. BUTLER.

diametrically opening, said lugs providing plane opposingl ly relatedlug faces, said coupler member having an internal circumferentialshoulder ad- 5 )scent the dellvery end and further having

